Drop + grell TWS1X IEM

Dec 10, 2021

The grell TWS/1 has glass touch controls for volume, playback, ANC on/off, transparent mode, etc. Its responsive like a smartphone’s touchscreen. You can grab the edges of the “disc” to reposition them with low likelihood of bumping controls. Karin Grell made an excellent diagram of the touch controls, I’ll find them and share with you :) Edit: It’s a PDF, which I can’t upload here. So here’s some screenshots of the PDF for you 😂 ought to do the job!

(Edited)

VIEW 5 MORE

tmprlillsns

Dec 9, 2021

Are you going to drop support on this after a year, like you did for the Drop Pandas?

Answer

JCDitto

Dec 9, 2021

Don't recall any dropped support for Panda. Had a FW update a few months back as well.

(Edited)

VIEW 8 MORE

vken27

Keyboard Club Member

Dec 14, 2021

are we getting an HD600 tuning?

Vote

Answer

Dec 15, 2021

Good question, complicated solution! Our ears are unique, and filter the frequency response of speakers, headphones, and everything we hear. “Neutral headphones” are designed to sound like linear studio monitor speakers. It’s like wearing tinted glasses, but you’re used to perceiving “natural” through that filter. With headphones, an audio engineer (Axel Grell was the chief engineer for the HD 600, by the way) at least knows your outer ear and inner ear will apply the same filter effect to speakers and headphones. In-ear headphones can be designed to emit a linear, flat-measuring sound, but we’re not used to hearing sound that way, without the filter of our outer ears (and different ear tips change the sound significantly as well). Long story short, it’s harder to make in-ears sound like a specific headphone or speaker… out of the box. If you download the SoundID app, it should come with an alternative tuning that gets reasonably close to a linear sound like the HD 600. However, the secret weapon is to take the intuitive SoundID Quiz, while you’re in a quiet environment, to A/B test and build up a tailored EQ profile that is unique just for your ears! That profile can also be uploaded into the TWS1x, so you can use it with any source you want besides your smartphone, too 😉

(Edited)

VIEW 4 MORE

Scoobmx

Dec 9, 2021

which comply tips fit these? will grell or drop sell foam tip replacements?

Answer

Dec 10, 2021

Comes with two sizes of foam tips, but you can use Comply 200 series if you like. That’s what I’m using in 2023

(Edited)

Dec 15, 2021

How do I troubleshoot connection or firmware update issues?

Answer

Dec 15, 2021

Hey Everyone, we’ve seen a few troubleshooting requests out of the first 250 units that came out. grell audio has reached out to Sonarworks’ software specialist to look into things. They may have more to add, or do on their server end, but meanwhile I’ll share some general troubleshooting tips, and the support email: support@grellaudio.com

Factory reset (this has “Have You tried turning it off and on again” magic): ”Forget” the TWS1x pairing from your devices’ Bluetooth settings. Touch and hold both earpiece’s capacitive touch fields simultaneously, for 10 seconds. Then, put the earpieces back in the charging case for a handful of seconds, take them out, and manually pair them with your audio sources again (hold the right earpiece’s touch field for 5 seconds). Firmware Update Tip: Play music while you perform the firmware update. Yes, seriously! EDIT: new SoundID update makes this unnecessary 😉 The TWS1x makes two connections to your smartphone/source with SoundID: BT Classic (normal pairing in the system settings) and BLE Connection (through the SoundID app). The update is performed over BLE, however it should solve several issues if you pair the earpieces to the smartphone first (in iOS/Android system settings) before attempting an update through the app. Firmware Update steps Here’s a walkthrough video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJr3hZOv_b4

Make sure the earpiece has at least 50% battery charge (15 minutes in the case should do).
Use home WiFi, not public WiFi or cellular data if possible (limit chances for interference or lost signal).
Pair both TWS/1 earpieces to your phone, leave them on a table.
Use the SoundID app, run the firmware updater. You should be done after this!
Update may take several minutes. Some people say it was very slow and seemed to get stuck at 50%, but eventually it finished. If update fails or appears to stay frozen in progress for over 20 minutes, place both earpieces back into the charging case to restart back in the last used firmware.
If update fails, Re-download firmware after checking steps 1 through 4.

Good news: if you lose connection to the firmware server, and put the earpieces back in the charging case, the TWS1x is set to automatically restart and use the last completed firmware install, so you won’t brick your device.

(Edited)

Dec 16, 2021

EvshrugMine just go through "Initating", "Downloading", then just get stuck "Updading", It doesn't even get to a status that shows any %. Holding both earpiece's capacitative touch fields simultaneously for 10 seconds does nothing. very frustrating

Dec 16, 2021

ixaxaarSo, Sonarworks was able to reproduce this issue. Two fixes: 1.) It’s possible to select the TWS in the SoundID app before pairing it through your phone’s iPS/Android settings app, and it will appear to be paired. Make sure to un-pair and forget the TWS1x or TWS/1 from your phone’s settings app. Hold the touch fields on both earpieces simultaneously for ten seconds (even if it doesn’t seem to do anything), and then put the earpieces back into the charging case and close the lid for a handful of seconds to trigger a reboot. When you lift the case lid again, they should be in pairing mode (or you can take the earpieces out and hold the touch area on the right earpiece for 5 seconds to enter pairing), and you can pair with your smartphone in the iOS/Android settings app. 2.) In SoundID, make sure you select the Drop branded TWS1x, not the grell audio TWS/1

Hope this resolves it for you!

Dec 16, 2021

Evshrugthanks for the info, but unfortunately this still doesn't work

Dec 16, 2021

ixaxaarThanks for trying! This has helped a few other people with the same issue as you. Sonarworks is still looking into possible causes, and my TWS1X is so close I can almost test it! Taste it! Whatever! It’s in a warehouse two narrow states away waiting to be dispatched. If you want further help, email support@grellaudio.com, and we’ll go into greater detail about your circumstances and options :)

Dec 16, 2021

ixaxaarIf you don’t mind, can you share what model phone/version of OS you have? Thank you!

Dec 16, 2021

Evshrugsure, it's an iPhone 12 on iOS 14.8.1 Thanks

Dec 16, 2021

ixaxaarI have an iPhone 12, currently on 14.8. I’ll let you know.

csajedi

Dec 17, 2021

EvshrugNone of this worked for me. I tried the reset steps at least 20 times now, all the variations of forgetting this device on the TWS and my phone. I don't believe this feature of resetting a failed update is really on the device.

Vote

Dec 18, 2021

csajediSonarworks just released a new version of the SoundID app on iOS. The firmware update worked for me

csajedi

Dec 19, 2021

ixaxaarThanks for the headsup. The update went through but looks like it worked for only one earphone. The other just repeats "power on" in my ear. What a fantastic waste of everyone's time these are.

Vote

Dec 21, 2021

ixaxaarYes, and it looks like playing music DURING the update actually helps the earpieces maintain the bluetooth connection while the firmware update runs in parallel. Tested on Android, iOS test soon.

Dec 21, 2021

csajediI understand you are frustrated, and appreciate that you attempted to troubleshoot. It sounds like your TWS1X don’t function now. If your left and right earpieces aren’t staying connected after performing the steps listed above, it may be time for an exchange or return. We wish you more happiness in the future.

csajedi

Dec 15, 2021

I'm having the same problems in the SoundID app. Im stuck at 1% after stalling out on 'updading' 3 times and closing the app. Frustrating that you cannot use SoundID until you complete the finnicky update.